Thoughtful Experience

Sun Harvest

6x8

Right after work tonight i bolted for Jonsrud Viewpoint in Sandy,OR to paint the evening light on Mt. Hood. Shortly after i started, two curious ladies came over to see what i was doing and we had a nice chat. They were genuinly interested to see what i was going to come up with when done. So the pressure was on to come up with a painting that i was happy with enough to blog about.

Much to my frustration, not even half way into the piece, i lost my light. The sun retired and i was left with two options, scrape it down and turn it into a nocturnal or keep working and put my memory to the test. I hope you can tell that i chose to continue with my initial plan and paint the warm sunlight.

After some thought about this evenings events, i really wanted to blog about it. Not because this is my best work, but for the truth and the experience. There are some issues with this painting; first is the mountain, which happens to be the main subject, but it's the wrong value, it needs to be cooler. And some of the shapes are not quite what i wanted. But, what i really like is the overall feeling of the piece, it is pleasantly warm with colors for the harvest season. And the emotion of a painting is still more important to me than having all the i's dotted and t's crossed.

The truth is that this was a challenge to paint. If you ever painted in the dark, and from memory, you know it's bizarre... I didn't even get a good look at it until i arrived home. But, i loved the challenge and learned and grew as an artist from this experience.

I also wanted to thank all the people that have ever come up to an artist with inquisitive eyes. Its inspiring to me that people would take an interest in what a painter does and in doing so, they become part of the moment. A little bit of them become part of the work, part of the experience, part of the truth.

Progression of a Painting

I have been wanting to show the progression of a painting from start to finish and i recently slowed down enough and remembered to take photos at different stages of the piece.

This painting was done in an afternoon in my basement, uh... i mean studio..... The photo that i used was taken at Steigerwald Refuge, during one of my treks down the path in search of a plein air subject to paint. I will often stop and take a pic when i see something that strikes my eye in hopes of using it in just this manner. So here we go......

I like to use a highly textured panel for my support. This panel is a former painting that i sanded down and gessoed over and reveals some wonderful texture.

The first thing i do is to tan my panel using a varied mixture of Burnt Sienna, Alizarin Crimson and Ultramarine and then loosely sketch my composition. Next, blocking in some shapes trying to lay in some darks, but sometimes i get a little antsy and my passion for color gets the better of me.

Introducing the background trees and sky

Here i have lightened up the hillside grass, established the foreground tree and layed in my highlights for the path which really allow the painting to take shape.

Path of Light 14x11

At last i add some touches of lights and darks in an effort to make things pop a bit, soften some background edges and add some foodle to the tree and i think were done. I really liked the way the foreground shadows act as stair steps into the painting, maybe a bit of a struggle to get past them (much like hiking), but the draw of the path leading you into the painting, i think, outweighs the initial struggles. Also, the big bushy tree in the foreground was an absolute joy to paint and keeps you from going off the panel. Oh, i should explain the foodle reference; its actually two words i enjoy saying that help me refrain from too much detail work...... Fiddle and Noodle - Foodle. Oops, i guess the Fox Terrier/Poodle mix beat me to it, darn poodles anyway.....

What is my style?

Dining Room Light

16x12

My previous posting was of a painting that took many days and many hours to complete. This one only took 2-3 hours, a speed painting in comparison. I did not think too much, a smash and grab type mentality. I did not worry about getting all the colors perfect, much less all the shapes, but i wanted to give the feeling of the light streaming in through our dining room windows, highlighting the focal point, blurring the lines in the background and sharpening the edges in the foreground; but not too sharp. All the while striving for a sense of atmosphere.

So when i completed this painting i thought a lot about my style of painting. What is my style? How can i labor over a painting for days and turn around a week later and crank out this speed demon? And i think i came up with an answer that in the back of my mind i have known all along.

Art, whether that be poetry, sculpting, painting, or whatever the medium, is all about passion and inspiration. Its about connecting with a subject and feeling a strong need to portray it, however the artist is experiencing it. That connection, that bonding is so critical and is the only way to get true unmanufactured emotion and feeling into a piece; and that's when it becomes art.

I am never going to pidgeon hole myself into doing the same thing over and over, the same way everytime. I would be bored to tears. But exploring, trying new techniques, and pushing my own boundaries is clearly where it's at for me. And when it's all said and done, i will have that body of work, that cohesive style that will be unique to me.

So, thank you for taking an interest in my journey. My hope is to inspire you. Inspire you to pick up a pen, or a brush and create art yourself. Inspire you to appreciate art or that you become an inspiration for someone else in this wonderful world of ART.

Texture, texture, texture......

Quinault Summer Rise

11x14

One of my goals on our vacation a few weeks ago, was to paint a plein air painting on multiple day settings. Going back to the same place and re-working the same panel is a good challenge, especially at a place where the weather changes quickly. So, i landed on this composition near our cabin that i have enjoyed for a long time and decided this was my challenge piece.

Day one was a good start with calm water and nice reflections

Day two, weather was socked in and no sun to be had (no work on this piece)

Day three, sun was out again, but the water changed and my foliage reflections diminished, so the painting changed too.

Day four, well there was no day four on this painting, at least en plein air. Over the next couple weeks it was studio noodled for it was not as textured or as deep as i wanted it to be.

Layer upon layer did color get applied, worked, re-worked, then worked again in an effort to blend and use broken color so the under painting would show through and the texture would be evident. I think i accomplished this.

As i think about my favorite parts of this painting; the foreground foliage, the way the sky blends with the evergreens, the middle ground foliage was fun too. Actually the entire painting was fun for i gave myself the freedom that nothing was sacred. All was fair game for re-work.

The biggest challenge of this piece was the foreground water, and it was what i spent the most time on. A lot of thought, a lot of mixing of color, a lot of making shapes, and a lot of layering took place in this area. It was at times frustrating, but i was determined to get believable texture, and giving myself the "nothings sacred" frame of mind made all the difference.

I also remembered and implemented the mirror trick. Viewing a painting in a mirror, really gives a different perspective and allows the "problem areas" to become more obvious. It should also be no surprise that this painting came on the heels of Pacific NW Plein Air art show in Hood River at the Columbia Art Gallery, where Eric Jacobsen took First Place with "Peaceful Evening". The juror was the acclaimed painter Jim Lamb. Now, i am in no way saying that my stuff is on the level of Eric's, but his work is a huge inspiration for me and he is a dear friend.

Good friend and fellow artist, Celeste Bergin, also took Honorable Mention with "Serenade". Great going Celeste!

Click on the link to see the award winning paintings of that show:

http://www.pleinairhoodriver.blogspot.com/

The Moods of Steigerwald

Fall's Approaching

9x12

Last saturday i took another trip to the Steigerwald Lake Refuge, knowing and anticipating the first rains of the season were coming. One of my goals this Fall and Winter is to go experience the elements while painting en plein air in an effort to have those elements show up in my work. Its easy to go paint when its nice out, but what about the rain and snow? Not such a pleasant thought, but i am really looking forward to seeing how that truth, that raw weathering, impacts my paintings. I am sure that some will be touched up in the studio, but some will stay as they are and that is exciting to me.

The two paintings i did while there were a challenge; a challenge to adjust from summers high-key colors to rainy grays. I did get rained on a couple times which was a bit troublesome, but i am determined to capture the moods and attitude of these subjects, which is focused directly on Steigerwald. "Fall's Approaching" did get reworked in the studio, i just didn't feel it was strong enough, but "Path to Rain" remained true to the spirit of plein air painting and i resisted the temptation to fiddle with it.

Path to Rain

6x8

Towards the end of my paint time, i met a group of 20 or so nature lovers. Wilson Cady, Environmental Education chair, Columbia Gorge Refuge Stewards, was leading an annual Fall tour for The Friends of the Gorge. I really enjoyed meeting this group and we share similar passions; A passion for natural beauty and inspiring others. My hope is that my art will inspire others to experience the very places i visit while painting, inspire others to get passionate about art, whether that be appreciating it or creating it.

Being a plein air painter is interesting, for i have met some great people. Two weeks ago, while at Steigerwald, i met a couple from Wisconsin and we had a nice visit. It was great to chat with someone that is vacationing here to take in the beauty of the Pacific NW.

http://refugestewards.org/

http://www.gorgefriends.org/

Don't forget to follow them on facebook....

Tomatoes - Ya just can't not paint em'....

Corner of Color

8x10

The three series of paintings i have strongly focused on (Vancouver Historical Architecture, Steigerwald Refuge, and Lake Quinault) are primarily landscapes. So when i saw our recent tomato and squash harvest i realized how much i was missing still life painting. And since the tomatoes have a fairly short life expectancy (at least while i'm around) it was time to jump on it.

I did not spend much time setting up this composition, i just added the tomatoes and squash to what was already sitting on the kitchen counter and started in. I set up my gear just inside the dining room where i could peer into the kitchen and get a perfect view of my subject. I don't know if it's just me or not, but every time i paint in a part of the house not designated for painting it feels a little strange. Here i am blocking an entry to the kitchen with turpentine and oil paints in the dining room. It's kind of like taking a super soaker to church, it just doesn't seem quite right.

Anyway, i had a blast and since i don't use Cadmium Red all that much it gave me some quality time with a friend who doesn't get on my palette enough. If you look close, you can see Cad. Red, or Red, as i like to call him, sitting in the far right of the bowl in the painting and thrusting his right arm in the air yelling,

"YEAH!, you see what I can do once you put me in the game".

I think he's just vying for a contract extension that expires at the end of this year, looks like i might have to renew it.

"Tell you what Red, i'll double your salary....."

That ought to shut him up. Until he realizes what double of nothin' is.....

Seriously though, the tomatoes added some great color and really brought a cheery feeling to the painting.

Don't forget to look around your house for interesting things to add to your still life paintings. Brushes up!

Willaby Creek Falls

Willaby Creek Falls

10x8

I have started a series of paintings of the Lake Quinault area on the Olympic Penninsula in the great state of Washington. My wife and i have a small cabin on the lake and it is not difficult to find inspiration at every turn, so i think its time that i come up with a collection depicting the amazing scenery. If you have ever been to Lake Quinault and hiked the network of trails, then you've probably seen and photographed this very scene near the Willaby Creek Campground.

Now, I'm sure that most have not heard of Lake Quniault, it's not what you would call a hotspot, but it is like taking a leap back in time and getting in touch with nature. The bizarre thing is, a good portion of tourists are from Europe.

Being that Lake Qunault is in the only temperate rain forest in North America, a place that get's an annual rainfall of around 15', it's not hard to find green. This can present a particular challenge for the plain air painter trying to capture the color notes of what they are seeing, and i'm here to tell you, you've probably never seen so many variations of the wonderful color known as - Green.